93 Si problems. - Honda Prelude Forum

Shawn F. · 06-04-2010, 06:59 PM

I have been reading the forums and GOOGLE trying to figure out the problem on my 93 Prelude with a H23 and 5 speed at 185,000 miles.
The car has a new timing belt, water pump, tensioners, balance belt, new plugs and wires, distributor cap and rotor, etc etc.
Anyways I was driving the other day and out of nowhere I pulled into a parking lot and it just died on me. I tried starting it and it would start but then just die within 3 seconds or so.
I went into Mc Donalds for 30 minutes to eat, came out and tried it again and it started right up, no problem. I started to head towards my friends home and it died 3 more times out of nowhere. It died at idle, while driving at about 2500-3000 RPM's and while coasting. I finally made it to his house and then back to mine but have not found out the cause yet. It will just die out of nowhere. At first I thought it may be fuel related since I noticed before it died that when I was leaving the light and giving it gas it was acting like it wasn't getting fuel and bogging down a little bit. Then again it dies so suddenly it makes me also think it's electrical.
I looked online and see people with similar problems but not exact and the list of problem I got is this:
1.) Fuel Pump
2.) Fuel Pump (combo relay) Relay
3.) Ignition Switch
4.) Something in the distributor.

Any idea or suggestions here would be greatly appreciated! I finally got this car together with a full timing belt job, seals, axles, brakes, etc and all I had left to do was a clutch and flywheel but then this happens. I think I am going back to old cars, fixing this one, selling it and drive one of my 5 old cars daily.

Thanks in advance guys!

Shawn F. · 06-04-2010, 07:01 PM

BTW, it does need the fuel filter replaced which I do have and will do soon. I know that it's way overdo for it since the previous owner never did it when it was required. Not sure if it could be clogged and causing this problem. Also 02 sensors will be replaced as well since it's got so many miles on it and they are most likely very old.

Shawn F. · 06-08-2010, 01:29 AM

Does ANYONE have any idea what I can check here? I still have not messed with the car because I am unsure of what to even check.

Matta1 · 06-08-2010, 02:05 AM

Main relay or ignition switch perhaps? If the lights in the dash (eg. warning, battery, fuel etc.) dissapear as this happens, it's most likely electrical.

Mogawa · 06-08-2010, 07:09 AM

Matta's right you need to give a little more of a description of what happens when it dies. If eveything on the dash shuts of when this happens it's most likely electrical but still could be somthing else. If the lights do go off do they flicker any, etc... Alot ofthings can cause your car to suddenly die so provide as much details as possible. Later man good luck.

skyyskyy · 06-08-2010, 07:32 AM

Shawn F. I would change out that fuel filter and get your alternator tested before you look at the relay, the relay wont cause the car to shut off only not starting is the problem. Had this sucker go out on me when i lived in florida during the summer. I would have to open the car doors up and let the air blow uner the dash before the relay cooled enuff to make contact and finally start.

Shawn F. · 06-11-2010, 01:58 PM

The car just shuts off. The oil pressure light and battery light stay on only. It just dies right away but electrical still works. That is really all I can tell you really. Dash lights will still be on when it dies.

Kronis · 06-17-2010, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skyyskyy

the relay wont cause the car to shut off only not starting is the problem.

Wrong. My main relay caused my car to die frequently one day on my way home from my friends house in the Texas heat last summer. Got home, researched, took out main relay, re-soldered connections, no problem since.

If it's your ignition switch, the car would die, but the gauges would turn off and on.

Try this, turn it on. but hold the switch forward. Just keep trying. Not all the way, just very slightly. If it's your ignition switch, it will still run. Had to drive and shift with my left hand while I held the key in the ignition last summer as well. Driving home from Discount Tire like that, S-U-C-K-E-D!

Shawn F. · 06-19-2010, 11:38 AM

Thanks for the info guys. I am going to start by replacing my fuel filter but I am almost positive this is NOT the problem. If I get a fuel pressure gauge for this thing, where do I hook it up at to test if it's a fuel pressure problem? As for the ignition switch, it may be this because the gauges drop but all the lights and such stay on such as battery and oil press. light.

Shawn F. · 06-19-2010, 11:39 AM

BTW, when it died, I started it right back up and as soon as it started and dropped to it's correct RPM's it would lose RPM and die. Giving it gas did nothing to help it, kind of made it die quicker if that makes any sense.

Kronis · 06-19-2010, 10:11 PM

I guarantee you 120% it's your ignition switch man! Crank it, but keep your key just SLIGHTLY forward. It should make it contact enough to keep it running. I've had to drive a few miles that way. I guarantee you, it's the ignition switch.

kdeleon08 · 07-13-2010, 09:46 PM

yeah i also have the same problem. i think i am experiencing the same thing, has anyone found out (Lopez4140 and Shawn F.) what the problem was for your cars guys?

Shawn F. · 07-29-2010, 07:52 PM

Well guys, here is an update on the Honda... I have tested the relay by getting a test one and it's not the problem. I checked my fuel pressure and again not the problem. It seems to do this when it's hot outside and the engine has reached full operating temperature. It will just die quickly and the battery and oil pressure light are the only lights staying on. It will start right back up, run for a few minutes or less and die again. It starts right back up everytime. Could it be the electronics in the distributor like some kind of module? I did a new cap and rotor on it maybe 15,000 miles ago or less as well as every other maintenance you could think of on the car.
I really need to figure out this problem so I can go ahead and sell the car.
Thanks!

kdeleon08 · 08-01-2010, 03:47 PM

yeah Shawn im experiencing the same thing with my car. same symptoms regarding the heat outside and during normal temperature. starts back up. what i defenitely know is wrong with my car is that it is experiencing blow-by because i need a valve job done to it, but im not sure if thats the problem. can someone update me on this. thanks

Shawn F. · 08-01-2010, 11:36 PM

Thanks guys. I do not think it's vapor lock, it would act a little different I believe. I have experienced vapor lock with my old cars before (68 Lincoln Continental to be exact). I am thinking it's something electrical such as electronic module in the distributor... Whatever it is, it's getting hot and once it reaches a certain temp it is shutting down. It's not the fuel pump since I tested the pressure and it shot fuel out of the inlet and outlet sides of the fuel filter. That also shows the fuel filter is NOT clogged up badly. Main relay seems to be fine as well so I can only think of it being the distributor or coil. I bought a spark tester at Auto Zone and will try it out tomorrow to see what I find. If it dies on me again I am going to close up the spark plug gaps to about .025 and see if it runs longer since it isn't having to work as hard to produce a bigger spark for the bigger gap which I believe is about .045?
Either way I have got to get this thing going this week so I can clean it up and sell it.

Shawn F. · 08-02-2010, 01:01 PM

Thanks Lopez, I will look into it and see what I can find. I have a feeling it's the distributor, I bought a spark tester and will be testing it today to see how it goes...

Shawn F. · 08-03-2010, 02:48 AM

Well guys I have been doing some reading and thinking and am now leading to believe it's my ignition switch. Seems that the newer 5th Gen Preludes have a problem with my EXACT symptoms. Has anyone here had a problem with their ignition switch? I think Konis may be right about it. Seems that it's about a $60 part shipped to my door so I may buy it and try it out... Any opinions or info on this? Anyone have ignition switch problems on their 4th gen?
Edit: BTW, when I say ignition switch I am just talking about the electrical part with the wire harness, not the key switch part.

Matta1 · 08-03-2010, 03:40 AM

YES! Alot of people (including me) have had problems with the ignition switch. I even suggested it could be the ignition switch when you first posted the problem.
Just change the electrical part, and you should be good to go

Shawn F. · 08-03-2010, 01:45 PM

Ok I will go ahead and buy the part and swap it out for the new one and see what happens. I am hoping this is the problem and not the distributor but we will see!
Thanks!

Shawn F. · 08-03-2010, 02:32 PM

I went ahead and drove the car around today to try and get it to stall again but got nothing. I let it warm up in the driveway for 20 minutes first and then drove around all different speeds. NOTHING. It's not as hot out now as it was the day it kept stalling but close to it. I drove it around and let it run for about 45 minutes until now where it's still idling. It has not cut off once on me. With the heat, will that cause the ignition switch to fail like the main relay? As I said, the gas gauge, temp gauge, oil press light and battery light are the only things that stay on when it dies. Everything else is off including the check engine light...